In this article we’ll share tools and resources to create professional and engaging social media images that you can use on multiple platforms.

Why Create Images for Social Media?

In this visual-centric world, it’s more important than ever to create high-quality sharable images.

Getting Visual With Your Content: 10 Effective Ways to Use Images: In this infographic from Fresh Take on Content, Lane Jonesvisually suggests different ways you can use images in your social media. Share product pics, recipes, team photos, location, checklists and more. “It’s amazing how by just taking ordinary words… and putting them on a background makes the difference between a post that barely gets noticed and one that gets liked, shared, retweeted or reposted,” she says.

Would you like to drive more traffic to your blog from Facebook or Pinterest?

Are you optimizing your blog posts for social shares?

Using your blog, Pinterest and Facebook together can amplify your social media signal tenfold.

In this article I’ll show you how pin-worthy images and an enhanced Facebook update can increase your repins and blog traffic.

Getting the Formula Right

If you want to bump up your shares and repins, you need four things: useful content; a headline that grabs people’s attention; an attractive, pinnable image; and a cross-posting plan.

In the Facebook update below, Peg Fitzpatrick uses this formula. She wrote an enhanced Facebook update that included an excerpt of her blog post, a pinnable image (including her headline) and links to both the post and the pin.

A combination of good content, a pinnable image and cross-linking can get you more repins.

If you’re not regularly sharing images that resonate with your audience, you’re missing out on a ton of engagement.

In this article you’ll discover the essential elements of shareable images that increase engagement and drive traffic to your website.

Why Use Images to Drive Social Engagement?

People are drawn to visual content and take action based on its subtle cues faster than any other medium–faster than text, audio or video.

The power of pictures isn’t restricted to image-centric platforms like Pinterest and Instagram. Visuals are attracting attention and driving engagement across all social networks. Even LinkedIn and Twitter are getting in on the action and showcasing images.

All of the major social networks are highlighting visual content. Brands that can leverage the power of original, optimized images are getting noticed.

If you’re worried you need a graphic designer or special skills, don’t be. In this article I’ll introduce you to the tools you need and the five essential elements of shareable, traffic-driving images that you can include in your marketing plan today.

#1: Give Your Audience What They Need

If you want to encourage engagement and shares, your images have to appeal directly to your target audience.

Create images and infographics that either solve a problem or inspire your community to take action. Images that give short, instantly actionable advice are highly shareable. Quick tips, how-to’s, quotes and fun facts are all very popular.

Social media expert Kim Garst matches audience expectations with useful tips by regularly posting images with social media advice and tagging them with #biztip.

Her community shares these problem-solving tips like wildfire, which results in an exceptionally high organic engagement rate on Facebook.

Creating an image with a useful tip makes for an instantly shareable piece of content.